


Sweet Sweet Melody

by RealCharactersFakeWorld



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Apartment AU, Friendship/Love, Kissing, LGBTQ Characters, Language, Mental Illness, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, mentions of abduction, relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-03
Updated: 2013-10-25
Packaged: 2017-12-28 08:26:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/989874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RealCharactersFakeWorld/pseuds/RealCharactersFakeWorld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Apartment AU: When Cas decided to get away from his family and live in a small apartment building, he had no way of knowing he would be introduced to an odd group of people who lived there already. He especially didn't know he would meet someone as charming as Dean Winchester. A destiel fic that features many characters from the series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tuesday Evening

**Author's Note:**

> This is an apartment AU that revolves around a lot of the characters from the series. This will both focus on Dean and Cas's relationship as well as many other relationships formed by the characters. I tried to add as many characters as I could into the character tag but I probably missed a few. (This was originally posted on fanfiction.net) This story is also largely told using facebook statuses, text messages, etcetera.

**Dean Winchester**

Apparently a dude just bought an apartment... hopefully he won't be as weird as the last person who came (with Gabriel)

**|Gabriel:** Aw come on, you know you love me

**|Meg Masters:** Well I certainly hope he makes himself at home... but it'd be a shame if he ended up in that empty apartment across from me ;)

**|Charlie Bradbury:** As cool as it is to have another dude here... I kinda wish it was a girl for once /-/

**|Chuck Shirley:** Hate to break it to you guys but this guy has weird written all over him

**|Anna Milton:** As long as he doesn't keep a collection of assorted bugs I'm fine with him

**|Kevin Tran:** That only happened once and he didn't even touch you, and spiders aren't actually bugs...

**|Anna Milton: '** He' was crawling up my wall and I'd rather not be that close to a spider ever again

**|Garth Fitzgerald IV:** Either way, he'll be welcomed with open arms :)

**|Chuck Shirley:** Garth, please don't hug this person until after they move into the apartment

**|Garth Fitzgerald IV:** Alright, I guess I could wait a few days :)

* * *

It was a quiet night when Dean decided to slip down to the roadhouse a little later than usual. It was a routine by now; every night he wasn't working he went down to the roadhouse. Not only was it his routine, but it was Ash, Jo, and Ellen's routine too. Every couple of weeks even Bobby and his wife, Sheriff Jody Mills, would come down and chat for a while. Or at least that had been the routine before Dean had gone away for a while. But when he did come back, the routine came back in full motion. Mostly for a lack of alcohol in Dean's system.

Dean pushed open the door, surveying the scenery; Ellen behind the counter, Jo messing around with a radio that sat in front of her, and Ash at the pool table, slightly wobbly from what Dean could only guess what his third or fourth beer. Once Ellen and Jo registered his presence, Ellen gave a warm smile, and Jo lit up like a Christmas tree at the sight of Dean.

"Hey Dean," Jo said, looking ecstatic at his presence. Dean gave a small smile, looking down at the ground as she slipped into the seat next to him. She gave him a friendly peck on the cheek and then turned the radio in front of her off, sliding it back to her mom.

"Can't get the thing to work. I don't know who designed it but they did a crappy job," Jo sighed, shrugging apologetically. Ellen nodded, observing the radio and then placing it back under her bar.

"I'm guessing you'd like a drink?" Ellen said, putting a beer in front of him before he could respond.

"Well yeah, I think I'd like a drink," Dean said teasingly after the beer bottle had been placed in front of him. Dean took a glance at the beer, then frowned slightly before he took a large gulp. Jo and Ellen exchanged a worried glance.

"How are you today?" Ellen asked, not wanting to prompt any unwelcome thoughts into Dean's mind. He shook his head, recognizing her cautiousness and indicating that he didn't want to talk about it in-depth.

"I'm fine," he said after a couple of seconds, licking his lips and looking down at the floor again. Ellen tapped Dean's shoulder comfortingly, indicating she was ready to talk if he was. Ellen had always catered to Dean's needs, but now that he had gotten back from that hell hole she couldn't help but put all her effort into his well-being.

Although Ellen had become a master at making Dean feel welcome and comfortable, it was Jo who had learned Dean's body language, his small indications and signs, and exactly what they meant. It was Jo who always knew what Dean wanted to hear.

"So I heard a new guy is moving in," Jo said, changing the subject for Dean's sake. Dean looked up, then back at his beer, nodding.

"Apparently so. Hopefully he won't be as weird as Chuck's making him out to be," Dean sighed and waved his beer bottle around for emphasis. Jo gave a smile and rolled her eyes.

"Please. That guy wouldn't know normal if it came up and introduced itself to him," she thought on this for a second, then continued, "and besides, how weird could he be?"

"You haven't seen what I've seen," Dean joked, letting out a soft sigh and a chuckle. The bar was on the brink of closing, meaning the only sound was the hum of voices from Dean, Ellen, and Jo, and the soft snores from Ash, who was now asleep on the pool table.

"Ash is out earlier than usual tonight," Ellen commented, placing the cloth over her shoulder as she walked over towards Ash to take his beer from him.

"Probably nothing to worry about," Dean said, taking a quick drink then setting it on the table in front.

"I think you've had enough as well. I'd rather have a conversation with you while you're sober," Ellen said as she took Dean's beer out of his hand. He sighed, rolling his eyes, then looking back towards Jo.

"What do you know already about this guy?" Jo asked, smiling mischievously as Dean.

"Nothing. Nada. Zilch. All I know is he's a dude and he, I quote, has "weird written all over him"," Dean raised his two fingers up to show the quote-unquote's, causing Ellen to scoff teasingly from behind the bar.

"I'm assuming those were Chuck's words? He barely ever leaves the front desk. He probably doesn't even know how regular people interact," Ellen laughed again, shaking her head. "That apartment building is the only way he even knows that other people exist." From the pool table, Ash rose unsteadily, rubbing his head and brushing his fingers through his hair. He looked down at his drink hazily, then back towards Ellen.

"What'd I miss?" Ash said, looking slightly more drunk than usual.

"Just discussing the newcomer. To the apartment," Jo said, walking towards Ash and giving him a once over. "You look awful."

"Don't be jealous," Ash said, his words slurring together slightly as he wobbled over towards the bar. He looked slowly towards Dean, then back at Ellen.

"How long's Dean been here?" Ash asked, his words barely understandable. Ellen sighed, smirking just slightly.

"About twenty minutes. You haven't missed that much," Ellen sighed as she turned around and began to clean the shelf behind her, sorting out the odds and ends and adjusting the bottles to her own standards. Ash laughed as he looked back towards Dean, then back at his hand as his face switched from drunken happiness to utter confusion.

"Where's my drink?" Ash asked after a couple of seconds of staring cryptically at his hand, as though the beer had just turned invisible or walked away.

"I think you've had enough to drink," she said in a sigh, patting him on the back as she pointed towards the back, "I think you should probably rest."

Ash looked prepared to argue, but after a silent contemplation, deemed the action unworthy of his time (or perhaps too much effort) as he walked as soberly as he could back to his room. Once he'd disappeared both Dean and Jo shared a quick laugh.

"That's Ash for you," Jo said, grinning stupidly. Dean grinned as well, a smile both Ellen and Jo enjoyed for each second it lasted. It wasn't that Dean didn't smile enough, but that when he wasn't smiling it was almost as if all light was drained right out of him, like a giant vacuum that left him looking numb.

"Can I have my beer back," Dean said after he'd finished laughing, a smile still apparent on his face.

"Not until you tell me how you're doing," Ellen said warningly, raising an eyebrow in confrontation. Dean sighed, his smile limping just enough to show his slight irritation on the subject. He eventually shrugged, looking back at Jo as he began to talk.

"It's mostly just Sam, you know? Other than that I'm fine," Dean said, lying through his teeth. Ellen and Jo did not need to exchange any glances to both agree what complete bullshit Dean had just said. They decided, however, not to dwell on it.

"Still worried about Sam? He seems much better to me," Jo said, tilting her head to the side and allowing her eyes to wander. Dean shook his head, laughing uneasily.

"No, it's not that. He's... fine. Mostly. But he just seems like he's still broken. But not in his body. In his... head I guess." Dean sighed at the ridiculous words coming out his mouth.

"Well I would expect. Hell of a trauma he went through Dean," Ellen said, nodding her head. Dean looked pained just thinking about it.

"I guess I'm not the only one anymore, huh?" he said softly, looking back at Ellen, then at Jo. They both knew what he was referencing.

"But in all seriousness... how are _you_?" Ellen said, continuing her prompt. She didn't like to constantly ask Dean about this subject but she knew that if she never confronted it neither would he.

"Ellen, I'm _fine."_

"Really?"

Dean was not so quick to shoot back a response. He lingered. He thought over his response in his head. Jo knew he was thinking as carefully as he could about what he was going to say back. As much as Jo hated to recognize it in Dean, he never liked to talk about himself. It was like any mention of himself was some sort of declaration of self pity. Eventually, he looked defeated, and responded as honestly as he could.

"I haven't been sleeping much. I might be a little more tense than usual- I don't know- but what's new?" he looked conflicted, and it was painful watching the emotions display across his face. It was especially painful for Jo, who had known Dean's every gesture and expression even before he'd left.

"You should see someone," Jo said eventually, then shaking her head as she realized what she said, "see someone _professional._ Like a therapist or something."

"What's a therapist going to do for me?" Dean asked, putting his hands out and crinkling his eyebrows together, a hint of objection in his voice.

"Dean, you _have_ an actual condition, okay? PTSD doesn't just go away," Jo responded, and Dean rolled his eyes and turned away from her.

"For the _last_ time Jo, it's _not_ PTSD. It's..." he tried to think of a legitimate phrase but faltered. "It's just nothing."

Jo laughed at Dean's pathetic excuse for not seeing a therapist. "Really Dean? It's just nothing huh?" She laughed lightly as Dean smiled the tiniest bit and he pushed Jo just slightly.

"Shut up," Dean said, then after a second he got up from his chair. "I should probably head to the hospital now."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jo asked, "after all, you did have a little bit of alcohol..."

"I'm good, Jo. But thanks," Dean said, giving her a wink as he waved to Ellen, then headed out the door.

"Say hi to Sam for me, Dean," Ellen said, smiling as he walked out. He gave a thumbs up and closed the door behind him. After a couple seconds they could hear the impala begin to purr as it drove away and faded into the distance.

"That boy's going to cause some serious damage if he doesn't open up more often," Ellen finally said, sighing.

"Let's just be glad he opened up to us at all," Jo replied.

* * *

 


	2. Tuesday Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hey buddy; who the hell are you and what are you doing in my apartment?" Dean asked more forcefully.
> 
> "Your apart-?" the man stopped, suddenly realizing something, as if he had just been revealed what was going on. His confused expressions lifted, and the man seemed uncomfortably at ease. There was a silence that filled the room as Dean's gun did not so much as waver as the man stepped forward and placed out a hand.
> 
> "You must be Dean."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit more of a exposition chapter to explain a few things... and leave a few things to be a mystery.
> 
> Cas - Balthazar - Charlie - Dean - Sam

"Balthazar?"

"Cassie!"

"This is not Cassie, it's Castiel."

"Well isn't it nice to hear your voice again."

"I apologize for calling so late at night I-"

"Don't even mention it! Anything for you, Cas."

"I was wondering if I am in the right place?"

"Where are you now? Describe it to me."

"I believe I just passed a... this person appears to be unconscious Balthazar."

"You're in the right place then! Goodness Cassie aren't you a fast traveler."

"I took the first flight out. I wasn't... keen to stick around."

"I understand. Are you sure you wouldn't just like to stay at my house a day or two?"

"I'd... rather not. I would rather not be introduced to your partner again."

"Oh Kacey? Yes she's long gone. No, but in all seriousness, there is a complete vacancy... if you want to stay."

"I would feel much better in my own apartment. I appreciate the offer though, Balthazar."

"Anything for you, Cas. I do worry about you though... don't be surprised if I swing in."

"If it is a reassurance to you, I suppose I don't mind."

"Goodnight, Cassie."

"Goodnight."

* * *

Now, for those who knew Cas, there was a low-lying understanding of his desperate attempts to avoid social circumstances. It had never been quite as bad until one day it came into full swing. No one bothered to ask why at first, but the more and more time passed, the slimmer their window of opportunity was. Eventually, once anyone had begun to notice the degree at which it had gone, it was too late to receive a complete answer.

It was cold, being October of course, and Cas could feel the cold just barely reaching past his trench coat, which to be fair had far passed it's new quality and begun to pass even being a sufficient means against the cold. Yet Cas was stubborn and refused to get rid of it, much to Balthazar's dismay. Balthazar was Cas's only friend at the time being. He and Balthazar had been very close, which was surprising due to Balthazar's extrovert lifestyle and Cas's more introverted lifestyle, but of course even Balthazar had gone away after a while. Once he'd moved, for reasons he still hadn't explained, Castiel had been left alone with his family and his lonely lifestyle. But of course, when Cas had needed somewhere to go, Balthazar did not hesitate to suggest an empty apartment in his town.

However, there were many offsets to what seemed like a bearable situation; the town seemed very shady. Cas couldn't explain the feeling of lurkers around every corner and the simple fact that everything around him suggested violence of some kind.

He wasn't going to dwell on it, of course; he was much more keen to find the apartment building in the pitch black, hoping they would take him in at this time.

Cas clutched his coat closer to him. _What time was it?_ He took a quick look at his pocket watch, which he had to squint to read, and realized it was only eleven. _It got dark here quickly,_ Cas realized. _Usually there are more lights on at this time._ It almost seemed as though the town were empty but of him and the creatures of the night.

The building he stood in front of a few moments later was one that was tall, brown, and looked to be the only comfortable looking place in the entire town. And that was saying something since the place had nothing much to heighten it's appearance other than its dull brown color. The lights shone dimly inside the building, signifying that the building was still unlocked, most likely. Cas moved briskly, taking a second to observe the apartments above. There were a few lights on, but most lights were turned off or were not bright enough to signify the occupant to be awake.

A few more steps and Cas soon found himself at the front door, pushing it open with ease and walking in quietly, observing the scene around him.

A man was asleep at the front desk. He was a short man, who had bags under his eyes and a bottle of beer in his hand. He had a beard that covered up the bottom half of his face, and he had light, brown hair and random papers across his desk. Cas decided not to worry about this; after all, his friend had already picked up the keys for him so as to make his late arrival not so much of a hassle for anyone but himself.

After a quick scan around, he found himself climbing up the stairs to the third floor, where his room was.

 _The third floor shouldn't be much of a walk up, since this building only has five floors._ Cas examined his left and his right but saw no entrances or doors anywhere. This was when he began to worry.

The stairway was dark and had a slight dusty feeling to it... as though it was rarely used or perhaps just disliked in general. Was this the wrong staircase? Or had there been an elevator in the lobby Cas hadn't seen? He hadn't taken much time to notice then, but now he wished he had.

Before Cas could even turn around and figure out what was going on, he felt someone shove him against the wall and pin him down under a small but firm elbow.

Cas was shocked for a long time, blinking quickly to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. The figure in front of him was hooded, tall, and strong. There was menacing eyes and a touch of red from underneath the hood that gave Cas a sick feeling. He prepared to fight back, but something halted him. Whether it was a lack of strength- due to a lack of sleep- or even just his own terror, Cas stayed still.

"Are you with us, or against us?" a rough voice asked, and Cas could see the eyes underneath the hood narrow menacingly.

"I... it would be dependent on the sides," Cas stuttered, trying to be as calmly as he could manage. How had he been so stupid as not to realize how strange the building and its residents seemed to be? The apartment manager asleep at his desk, very few lights on despite it only being eleven P.M? Even the door had been unlocked... how had that not seemed alarming to him? Before his fears could be voiced, he heard a soft, strangely high chuckle coming from his attacker. Castiel tilted his head in confusion.

"I'm sorry dude," a female voice said, lifting her hood to reveal long, curly red hair. Cas had never been so confused in his life... and he'd only been there a few moments. Who was this person? Was she no longer intent on hurting him? He got his answer when the woman released her hold on him, Cas letting out a quick breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"I've just always wanted to say that," she said, sighing and smiling to herself. She turned her attention back towards Cas and put out a hand. "Hi. Charlie."

Cas put out a cautious hand before shaking the hand in front of him firmly. "I... Castiel," he said vaguely, looking back from Charlie to down the hall to his own hand, completely dubious towards just what he had gotten himself into.

"So what're you doing here?" she asked, rocking back and forth slightly.

"I've- I bought an apartment here. Why did you attack me?" Cas asked as Charlie turned her back to him and began walking up the steps to the first door. Cas lingering awkwardly at the door as she motioned for him to follow after a couple seconds.

"Why did I- oh..." Charlie said, her smirk still apparent, "you're new around here aren't you?"

"Yes I just arrived this evening... I have a friend in town-" he stopped midsentence as he watched the woman- Charlie- rummage through her pocket and pull out a gun. Cas stared, shifting slightly to avoid being in the line of fire.

"So you're like... you've never been here before?" she said as she unloaded the gun and placed the bullet in her back pocket. Castiel eased a bit at the notion, comforted to know that she truly wasn't intent on hurting him... for the time being.

"No, I have not." Cas said, licking his lips as he examined the rooms around him. There were a good ten doors up and down the hall way, the one they stood in front of read in messy handwriting "Charlie's Room" with a picture of some sort of spaceship tacked underneath.

"I guess that would explain a lot then," Charlie said, taking the unloaded gun and handing it to Cas. He looked at the gun, then back at Charlie as she continued to talk, "I mean, you obviously aren't familiar with the code of conduct, huh?"

"I don't believe I am aware-"

"The code of conduct is simple," she said, looking at Cas's hand and adjusting his grip on the gun, "number one; always carry a gun."

"This gun is not equipped-"

"I know that. And you know that. But pretty sure we're the only ones with that knowledge right buddy?" she asked, patting his back comfortingly.

"Number two; watch the staircase on your specific day," she paused, smiling proudly at Cas, "I actually came up with that one. I watch the staircase every second Tuesday of the month."

"But why-"

"And number three," she continued, either not hearing Cas or choosing to ignore him, "never go up the main stairs past ten o'clock." She looked at Cas accusingly, and he suddenly felt embarrassed to have barged in on such a simple rule. Though to be fair, he had only been there a half an hour.

"Is that all?" Cas asked uncertainly, looking around him again so as to avoid Charlie's eye contact.

"Basically, yeah. Although there are a bunch of crap rules that you'll eventually get used to. Those are the basics." She unlocked her room and swung the door open slightly, grabbing a gun that appeared to be hanging off the wall. This was not a small pistol, like she had given Castiel, but instead looked more like a hunting rifle. When Cas looked at her in question, she shrugged. "Extra protection." She winked suggestively at this, then closed the door with a thud and locked it in one swift movement.

"So let's find your room. What floor are you on?" Cas looked back down as he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, a scrawled number on it. He squinted at the paper, attempted to read the numbers, then nodded as he understood.

"Floor three, room eight." Charlie nodded thoughtfully, putting the keys in her pocket and placing the gun by her side.

"Good for you. Actually, you're right next to my friend Dean. You'll definitely like him," she said as she began trudging up the hall. Cas shook his head as she fell in front of him. _What the hell had he just gotten himself into?_

* * *

As Dean halted at a red light, he turned towards his brother in the seat next to him. He was dozing slightly, every so often coming to and then falling asleep again. Dean knew it was hard not to let the medication's side effects get to him, but Sam truly did try as best he could to stay awake with Dean when he came to pick him up. Sam knew that Dean wanted to know he was okay.

"What'd the doctor's say this time, Sammy?" Dean asked, eyes focused on the road ahead. The light turned green and he pressed the gas pedal, turning for a second to see if Sam had heard him. Sam shrugged, looking down at his feet.

"They say I'm getting better Dean," Sam said, a forced laugh following. Dean frowned, looking back at Sam with a worried expression.

"What's the translation?" Dean asked, which was common code for "what did the doctor's actually mean?". Sam was quiet a little longer, then sighed as he realized he couldn't just put this one off.

"Well they want to get me on a new pain medication. They say _this one_ will help," Sam shook his head as he spoke, knowing exactly what Dean was thinking.

"Those ass monkeys want to put you on _another_ medication?" Dean sounded agitated, as Sam knew he would be. Sam just shrugged again in response, listening as Dean let out an annoyed breath and slam his hand against the wheel.

"Look Dean, it's a good thing. They just think that now that I'm on the road to recovery-"

"That is complete bullshit and you know it Sammy," Dean said, taking a left towards the apartment building.

"I- yeah, I know," Sam said, too tired to argue. He sighed, rubbing his eyes and stretching slightly, trying hard not to cause any pain in his arms.

"When has a new medication ever worked out for us, Sam? I mean honestly, it's like they aren't even trying anymore," Dean couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth, but once they were out he couldn't take them back, so he simply shut his mouth and stared at the road.

"Could we talk about this later, Dean? I'm really tired," Sam said, yawning as they turned up to the apartment. Dean parked his car, hidden from plain sight, and made sure to lock it. He helped Sam out of the car, although Sam insisted he was fine.

"Look, I don't want you to fall over on the way up, okay? We don't need any more hospital trips than we already have," Dean joked, trying to hide the honesty in his voice. Sam nodded, leaning against Dean for support.

"Good... good. Almost there," Dean said as they walked into the building, saw Chuck asleep at his desk, and took the dingy elevator up to floor three. Once the elevator "dinged", showing they had arrived on their floor, Dean carried Sam back to the apartment and to his room, where Sam fell on his bed and seemed to fall asleep almost instantly. Dean was glad he would be able to rest, since tomorrow Dean didn't have work and he could do Sam's chores for him so he wouldn't have to wake up as early.

Once Dean had taken care of himself, he headed off to bed. As soon as he had settled, however, he remembered he forgot to close the apartment door. Mentally slapping himself, and contemplating just leaving it open, he eventually got up and went to lock his door.

 _God, it's quieter than usual,_ Dean thought, rubbing his face as he forced his eyes to focus on the ground in front of him. He was near the door when he heard a rustle of clothing and the door creak open just slightly. Dean froze, his heart halting just as quick as the rest of him. He felt himself snap awake at the very sounds and reached for the gun in his pocket, ready to squeeze the trigger just in case this uninvited guest had any ill intentions. His mind drifted to Sam, who's room was right in front of the door, and all at once he sprung to action. He whipped himself towards the attacker, pulling his gun out and taking off the safety, aiming straight at the man's head.

The man in front of him, to say the least, seemed very surprised.

"Who are you?" Dean asked, his voice hostile. The man raised up his hands to show that he had good intentions, but he still seemed very perplexed, as though what was happening was not at all to be expected.

"Hey buddy; who the _hell_ are you and what are you doing in my apartment?" Dean asked more forcefully.

"Your apart-?" the man stopped, suddenly realizing something, as if he had just been revealed what was going on. His confused expressions lifted, and the man seemed uncomfortably at ease. There was a silence that filled the room as Dean's gun did not so much as waver as the man stepped forward and placed out a hand.

"You must be Dean."


	3. Wednesday Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas hadn't realized the man in front of him was talking.
> 
> "...And I was wondering if you'd just like to go..." he paused, laughing to himself, blushing slightly, "for a coffee?"
> 
> Cas had no time to think before he responded.
> 
> "Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean, Sam, Cas, Jo, Meg, Bella.

**Jo Harvelle: |So you threatened him with a gun?**

Dean Winchester is typing...

**Dean Winchester: |Well what was I supposed to do? Offer him some coffee and invite him into the kitchen?**

**Jo Harvelle: |Well yeah! Gun wielding is not exactly a good first impression**

**Dean Winchester: |Apparently he walked into the wrong apartment... he's in the one next to mine.**

**Jo Harvelle: |That's perfect then!**

**Dean Winchester: |Why is it perfect?**

Jo Harvelle is typing...

**Jo Harvelle: Perfect because maybe you can properly welcome him to our lovely town :)**

**Dean Winchester: |And how could I possibly do that?**

**Jo Harvelle: |You said it yourself. Take him out for a coffee! :D**

**Dean Winchester: |Jo that's incredibly gay**

**Jo Harvelle: |Well maybe gay's the way to go Dean. Seems more polite. ^~^**

Jo has logged off.

**Dean Winchester: |Oh I am so kicking your ass when you come back online Jo...**

* * *

"So Jo says I should take him out for a coffee," Dean continued as he flipped the bacon over in the pan, listening to it sizzling and ignoring the spit that was currently burning his arm off bit by bit. Sam laughed softly from across the table.

"I don't know Dean... maybe she's right," Sam said, trying not smile at how Dean reacted, "about the coffee thing. After all things might be a little weird since you literally almost shot him." Dean was always sensitive around this subject... mostly because he was one of those straight dudes who just couldn't bear the idea of homosexuality. And this was a fault accredited to John Winchester, who had very poorly raised Dean to such a standard.

"He shouldn't have been wandering around so late," Dean said, sighing as he placed a fried egg and bacon on Sam's plate and slid it over to him, "I mean, what kind of dumbass walks into an open apartment? Does he not know about the freaking crime ring? Why is it such a big deal I almost shot him?"

"Well he's obviously new, Dean. Most people don't have crime ring knowledge on hand right away," Sam said as he began to fiddle around with his food, making it look as though he was eating more than he actually was. Dean sighed as he piled food onto his plate, turned the burner off and sat across from Sam.

"Look, I'm not saying that he totally screwed up or anything, it's fine. But I'm not taking him out for a coffee!"

"Oh come on Dean, it wouldn't hurt to try," Sam said as he pushed his plate slightly away from him. Dean paused, noticing the small action, and frowned.

"How are you today anyway?" Dean asked softly, his expression switching from slightly agitated to kindly. Sam admired his ability to change expressions so fast, and still be genuine.

"I..." Sam wanted to delude Dean from the truth, because he knew that it would hurt more than a lie, but he also knew Dean would be extremely pissed if he found out Sam wasn't okay. He decided to ignore the latter of his thought process and went with a simple "I'm just not that hungry, that's all."

Dean gave him another once over and sighed, shaking his head and returning to his plate. "But should I really ask him out for a coffee? Isn't that a little gay?"

"Dean..." Sam said, laughing, "dude, it's fine. It's coffee. It's not like you're buying him roses or taking him out for a cheesy romantic comedy."

Dean nodded at this comment, then took Sam's plate and turned it towards himself, taking the bacon. He swung it back towards Sam and pointed at the eggs with his fork.

"At least eat the eggs. This is as good as they'll ever get," Dean said. Sam thought it over, then shrugged as he dished a few spoons full into his mouth then took his and Dean's plate to the sink. He began washing the dishes as Dean sat, thinking about something. From Sam's guess, it was probably still the guy and the coffee.

"Do you even know his name?" Sam asked. Dean thought over this, then sighed.

"Nah. He wears a trench coat though. And he knew my name apparently... don't know where that came from," Dean said as he got up to help dry the dishes Sam was washing.

"Probably Charlie," Sam said as he handed a cup to Dean.

"Why Charlie?"

"She was on stair duty, remember?"

"Right, right," Dean put away all the dishes and quickly headed towards the living room to get his jacket.

"Where're you going?"

"I'm going to go and ask him out for coffee," Dean said, gritting his teeth in annoyance. Sam shook his head and chuckled softly.

"Don't let things move too fast, okay? This is your first outing since you forced me to move in with you," Sam said teasingly, although it was true. Ever since Dean found out about Sam's accident, Dean had quickly moved him into his apartment to care for him, and since then had been occupied with Sam's well being. It had taken a long time for Sam to recover- an even longer time to function regularly- but it had all been thanks to Dean. And the hospital of course.

"Yeah yeah whatever. Just keep this info to yourself okay?" Dean asked in vexation as he shut the door behind him. Sam laughed, shaking his head to himself. Dean was the try-hardest heterosexual he had ever seen.

* * *

Dean shut the door behind him, locking it behind him silently and checking the door to make sure it was secure. He turned to look up and down the halls, so as to make sure no one had seen him, and began walking towards the trench-coated-man's apartment. Before he got there, however, he stopped. He grimaced to himself as he backed around the corner- there was a small crevice right between his room and the elevator- to see a very familiar face hiding there.

"Bella..." Dean began, sighing as he closed his eyes. She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh.

"What? I was only going to see if I could borrow-"

"Oh come on Bella, we've been over this! You've got to stop sneaking around," Dean said as he pressed the elevator button and motioned for her to come in with him. He rolled her eyes again and then gradually stepped in. She crossed her arms and looked away from Dean.

Bella was essentially the most criminal a person could get while still having a clean record. After only a couple months of knowing her, Dean had already lost two hundred dollars in cash, his car keys- twice- and his favorite leather jacket, which he still didn't have. And that had been nearly two years ago. She was much more tame in her acts of stealing now- and that's not to say she stole any less, just simply that she didn't get caught. Bella was a clear kleptomaniac.

The apartment building tenants had all gotten used to it by now. They all locked their doors more frequently and had grown accustomed to knowing when Bella would be on their floor. But of course, as much of a nuisance Bella could be sometimes, she was of a mindset and brain level that far surpassed anyone in the building.

"You don't have to walk me to my apartment every time Dean," Bella said irritably. Dean waited as the elevator door opened and signaled for her to step out.

"I'll keep walking you out until you can learn how to  _not_ steal from people," Dean said in response, heading towards Bella's apartment and standing by as she unlocked it. She walked inside and quickly grabbed a five dollar bill and handed it to Dean. It had been a bet long ago that was only in motion due to Bella's stealing habits; every time she got caught she owed the person five dollars. It was almost like playing a "where's waldo" game but much harder and with a five dollar prize.

"Can't you just not steal? I mean, the freaking crime ring that travels into the apartment every few weeks is enough," Dean said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"At least I don't hurt anyone," Bella said, her voice rising defiantly. Just as she spoke these words a loud noise was heard from the left portion of the hallway and both Dean and Bella flinched before realizing the source. At the same time, they both yelled.

"Meg!"

The sound carried through the now too-quiet air as an apartment door swung open and a woman with a very lovely face and smart-ass smirk walked out and stood in front of Dean and Bella with her arms crossed.

"Sorry Deano, forgot you don't like gunshots," she said cruelly, the lilt in her speech angering Dean more than the words she was saying.

"Jesus Meg," Dean said, trying to resist the urge to punch her in the face. Meg and Dean did not get along. But to be fair, rarely anyone got along with Meg. Not even her friends got along with her.

"Meg it's too damn early for you to be shooting," Bella said, coming close to Meg and standing directly in front of her.

"If you don't want me shooting then find a way to shut me up," Meg said threateningly, a smirk still apparent on her face.

"Oh I'll find a way," Bella said, copying Meg's cocky grin and looking down on Meg. Meg squinted at the figure just slightly above her and turned up her nose.

"I'll see you around, klepto," Meg said as she walked towards her apartment and disappeared from sight. There was a linering silence in the air for a couple minutes before another gunshot was heard and Dean let out a loud groan.

"What a  _pain_ in the  _ass,_ " Dean said, gritting his teeth. Meg had a habit of doing anything to annoy those around her, and shooting animals from her apartment window seemed to be one of those things. Although if anything was to be stated, she was better than good at hitting her bull's-eye.

"I don't understand how Chuck still lets her stay here," Bella said to the side of Dean. "How could anyone befriend that demon of a person?"

"I don't understand how  _you guys_  aren't friends," Dean said, then thought over his statement, "you're both psychos and you're both a pain in the ass."

"Oh Dean don't be so jealous," Bella said with a smirk as she closed her apartment door behind her, leaving Dean alone in the hall with just himself and a lingering realization he still hadn't asked the-trench-coat-man out for coffee yet.

* * *

Cas had already settled into his apartment. It had been only a night and he had unpacked all his food, clothing, and other necessities necessary for a household. He had also had time to figure out the apartment around him in general. The shower had a strange dial that was luke warm on one interval but moved just a decimeter to the left and it felt as though you were taking a shower in hell. The kitchen sink worked well but if you turned it completely to the right it would only trickle instead of being full-blast, which Cas found to be odd. And of course the dining room combined with the kitchen was well organized and orderly, although the chair closest to the stove squeaked if you sat in it.

What Cas still needed to understand, however, was the actual town. He had taken a moment to sort his thoughts as he had been cleaning the apartment. He knew these things: there was some sort of obvious crime occurrences around the town, and they seemed to be common. The people around him seemed to not be in fear at all, but merely adaptive to their situation. Both the red-haired Charlie person and the- well, it had been dark, but Cas could tell he had green eyes- the green eyed man named Dean, they had both been ready to shoot. And as uncomforting as it had been at the time, it was good to know there was always someone to protect the building in case something happened.

It was a good thing Cas knew some self defense, although he was not as familiar with a gun as he wished he could be. Perhaps he could ask the man next door for assistance? He wouldn't be lying if he said he hadn't considered the option enough in the past twenty four hours. Although he was worried the man would not be friendly with Cas after he had accidentally walked into his apartment.

Cas didn't want to talk to the man. After all, it was social interaction. But something about learning how to better aim his gun made him feel as though he could also be of assistance when it all went to shit.

There was a knock at the door and Cas could feel himself tense. He was unfamiliar with anyone in the building- besides Charlie and Dean, who had nearly shot him- and even those people he barely knew. He thought over his course of action for a second. If the person happened to be an uninvited guest, he could always disarm the man with a quick self-defense technique and then decide his course of action from there.

He decided this was the best idea as if he didn't answer the door soon, whoever it was might leave.

Cas reluctantly walked towards the door, and opened it just enough so he could peak at the person behind the door. He quickly registered that the man was carrying a gun, and with that he lunged forward. The next thing he heard was a shout of surprise.

"Hey woah woah woah," the man said, grabbing Cas's shoulders and placing him back towards his own apartment doorway. A quick blink and recognition of the person in front of him helped Cas to realize he was not in any danger. The tension in his shoulders faded and Cas realized the man before him was the man with the green eyes. They were both silent for a minute, evaluating each other.

It had been too dark for Cas to notice how truly handsome the man was. He was a sort of dusty brown hair color that seemed the slightest bit blonde. He had shiny green eyes that brought out the color of his blue plaid shirt even more. He was tall, muscular, and the grip that had been on his shoulders had seemed so comforting somehow-  _fuck, was he saying words?_

Cas hadn't realized the man in front of him was talking.

"...And I was wondering if you'd just like to go..." he paused, laughing to himself, blushing slightly, "for a coffee?"

Cas had no time to think before he responded.

"Yes."


	4. Wednesday Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You sound like you walked right out of a non-fiction novel. And for that matter, your name sounds like God gave it to you himself."
> 
> "Well in that manner of thought, your name sounds that way as well," Cas said, shrugging. Dean scoffed.
> 
> "Well yeah, but my name doesn't sound like it belongs to an angel."
> 
> "Was that a flirtation?" Cas asked jokingly.
> 
> "Oh shut up," Dean said, rolling his eyes, "You know what I mean."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Sorry for the semi-late update.

"Hello?"

"Hello Dean."

"Jesus I didn't even realize how low your voice was when we talked yesterday.. and the day before of course but... anyway. I'm at work and I'll be swinging by your place to pick you up in 'bout a half an hour. Thought you'd like a heads up."

"Yes, I suppose I can be ready by that time."

"Well that's great. I'll see you then."

"...Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"How long have you been at work?"

"A... well, since we talked. About six hours?"

"I see."

"Alright, see you then."

"Goodbye."

* * *

There was a knock at the door.

Cas had to take a second to realize that it had been a half an hour and Dean was waiting at his door to take him out for coffee.

The sunlight filtered in through the small square window, slightly dim as the day was slowly fading from early afternoon to late afternoon. He got up from the couch to check himself quickly in the mirror to make sure he looked presentable.

The odd thing was, he still wasn't quite sure how this was happening. For a while he had written off such a strange occurrence as being a fantasy. After all, when did Castiel ever say yes to social commerce? Rarely. He supposed he'd said yes so that he could discuss with Dean about the town- he was curious, after all- but now that it was time to go his heart was pounding and he was very afraid.

He swung the door open to reveal a man who stood unsurely at the door, rubbing his hands and looking up at Cas with a look of absolute confusion. This look quickly changed to a comforting smile and Cas felt his heart pound even harder, despite how kind this man looked.

"Hey... you know, I never caught your name," Dean said, giving a sort of lopsided grin. Cas squinted for a moment. _What was his name again?_

"Castiel. My name is Castiel." Cas said as he stuck his hand out for Dean to shake. Dean shook it firmly, then paused, his hand still on Cas's, and then laughed as he dropped his hand.

"Why are you laughing?" Cas asked, unsure of what to think of the situation.

"I mean, I've already invited you out for coffee and I don't even know your name. Not to mention I accidentally threatened you with a gun... but then again it wasn't entirely accidental," Dean said sheepishly as he smiled down at the ground. He quickly motioned for Cas to follow him once his eyes had travelled off the floor and Cas hastily grabbed his trench coat and closed the door behind him. Cas began walking but Dean pulled him back by his shoulder.

"Aren't you going to lock the door?"

Cas cocked his head to the right, confused by this notion, "is it necessary?"

Dean frowned slightly, taking Cas's key from inside the room and locking the door, checking the handle to make sure it was completely secure, "well yeah, no one's on watch until eleven; that's about the time when those asshats start stirring shit up."

Cas nodded thoughtfully, then took the key from Dean and began walking down the hall alongside him.

"What is the name of the place we'll be going?" Cas asked, attempting to keep the dreaded awkward silence from hitting them both.

"It's called 'Garth's'. My friend owns the place. But I have to warn you... he's very... weird," Dean said, shaking his head to himself as he and Cas stepped inside the elevator.

"How far?"

"Right in town... a couple blocks down. We could walk or take the impala," Dean said, exiting the lobby and giving a slight wave to Chuck at the front desk.

"I suppose walking would be okay," Cas said, nodding to himself.

"Good," Dean replied, giving a truly comfortable smile. A smile that Cas cherished. Had _he_ caused that smile? It felt somehow like such an honor and yet, of course, it was just a smile.

This was going to be a interesting turn of events.

* * *

"Sam, you awake?"

The door handle jiggled slightly and then there was a pause as a hesitant knock rang through the apartment. Sam opened his eyes, trying to recover from the near lucid dream he had been trying to navigate. He had been dreaming about... well, now he couldn't quite grasp it. But if felt pure and it felt impossible... now he remembered. He had been running. It didn't hurt.

"Yeah Kevin, come on in," Sam said after a few seconds, rubbing his eyes and stretching as much as possible without hurting himself. Kevin walked in to see Sam, looking more tired than usual, on the couch with papers everywhere. He had obviously been prepared for Kevin's arrival.

"You look like crap," Kevin said, smiling apologetically. Sam laughed, shaking his head.

"Uh... thanks." He shook his head, observing the papers around him and organizing them, "so we're studying today, right? For an exam?"

"Yeah. I mean, I could do it myself but I'm pretty sure you need my company just as much as I need yours," Kevin said, his eyes travelling away for a moment. He sighed, looking back towards Sam.

"Things better here?" he continued, knowing the answer already.

"Well... as good as they can be," Sam said, putting up an all-too tired smile. He looked worn, like he had lived a thousand years and it was all pushed down into one person. Kevin could see right through this mask, but only because he had worn this expression far too many times.

"They put you on new meds, didn't they?" Kevin asked, sitting down across from Sam and pretending to be preoccupied with his papers.

"Yeah," Sam said, sighing and sitting up properly, taking out papers that were necessary for Kevin's exam study, "alright so let's get right into-"

"Hey come on, don't do that," Kevin said, rolling his eyes, "my exam can wait a second. Have you told Dean?"

"Of course," Sam said, scoffing slightly, "I'm not taking that chance again."

"Good," Kevin said, nodding with approval. He lingered a moment, as if ready to begin, but then stopped as he asked another question, "does it help at all?"

"The new meds?" Sam asked. He smiled bitterly, shaking his head and shrugging, "not at all."

Sam and Kevin had been doing this a while. Or at least as long as Sam could remember since the time he had moved in with Dean. After Sam's accident- the accident that fucked up his entire body to a point he had to learn how to do everything over again- he had spent a lot of time alone in Dean's apartment. That was when Dean started asking people to watch over Sam. It was embarrassing and depressing, but you could say that anyone who had stayed with Sam long enough had become friends with him.

One day, however, a new person came to the apartment. Except he wasn't new. Apparently, he'd lived in the apartment for two years before he... vanished. When he'd returned there had been a huge celebration that Sam hadn't quite understood at the time.

And that was when he met Kevin. Kevin became the only person to accompany Sam day in and day out. But the problem with Kevin was that he wasn't just returning from a trip. He had returned from something much worse. Something that no one had expected him to come back from.

They spent most of their time helping Kevin study, but other times... other times were spent discussing Sam's health. And sometime's Kevin's. When things really got shitty they didn't even study at all.

"New meds never really work, do they?" Kevin agreed, only half smiling. Sam pulled himself forward a little to face Kevin.

"Anything on your mind?" Sam asked, and Kevin stiffened. It took a second for him to ease himself, his shoulders dropping and his eyes going from wide to regular again.

"No. Not really." Sam shot him a look, an eyebrow raised in suspicion. Kevin let out a sigh, and dropped his head.

"I haven't slept in four nights," he said softly, half hoping Sam hadn't heard him. Sam's eyes widened in concern and he switched from somewhat relaxed to full on big-brother mode (a mode most commonly seen on Dean Winchester).

" _Four?_ I thought the medicine was helping?" Sam said, but Kevin didn't respond for a few moments. Kevin had this sort of hiccup every so often in a conversation. When things got personal, he went silent. Sometimes mid sentence, sometimes after a whole paragraph of speaking, like he was afraid he didn't have enough time to speak. It had been a good few minutes before Kevin responded.

"It was but I didn't want to fall asleep." Kevin said in one quick breath before pulling out his papers, "Can we please study I have a huge exam and I don't want to fail it."

Sam was ready to interject, but realized that there was nothing he could do. Hell, he'd be lying if he hadn't been in that exact situation only a few months ago. How long had he gone? A week? More? He couldn't remember now.

"Alright, fine," Sam reluctantly agreed, eyeing Kevin cautiously one last time. "Are you _sure_ you're-"

"Ms. Naomi is not an easy teacher Sam," Kevin responded, sounding more agitated than he probably wanted to. Sam sighed, grabbing some papers and beginning to help Kevin study.

* * *

The walk to Garth's café was a long one, and there was a long lingering silence for nearly the entirety of the walk. It was a fall day and the leaves on the trees were red, orange, and yellow, while other trees were still green. There were some trees of the brightest and most lovely reds, while others were indecisive and were unsure of their colors, with a little bit of green, brown, and slight yellows.

Dean seemed almost as indecisive as the trees around him. Part of him seemed confused, concerned almost. The other part of him seemed to somewhat enjoy the outdoors and the walk and going out for coffee. The rest of him just seemed unusually tense.

"Are you nervous?" Cas asked after a few minutes of walking in silence. Dean's head shot up towards Cas as he began to talk, as if noticing him for the first time.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you."

Dean shook his head, laughing. "No buddy, my bad. I was just lost in thought I guess."

Dean looked towards Cas with a half smile, "so I've been wondering... what caused you to move here in the first place? Was it our astonishing crime level or just our lovely town scenery?"

Cas felt a quick pounding in his head and wondered if he should be honest or not. He decided to tell only what needed to be told, which seemed like a fair deal to him.

"I'm visiting a friend, actually," he said, tracing the outlines of the buildings around him with his eyes.

"What's his name, maybe I know him?" Dean said. Cas shook his head.

"You are most likely not acquainted."

"Try me," Dean said, a challenging smirk on his lips.

"Balthazar," he said, only to get a sideways glance from Dean.

"Are you making this up or something?" Dean asked, cocking his head sideways.

"No. Why would you accuse me of making this up?"

"Well... Balthazar? Castiel? Jesus where are you guys even from?"

"Well, Balthazar was originally born in Britain, if that's what you mean." Dean laughed again.

"You sound like you walked right out of a non-fiction novel. And for that matter, your name sounds like God gave it to you himself."

"Well in that manner of thought, your name sounds that way as well," Cas said, shrugging. Dean scoffed.

"Well yeah, but my name doesn't sound like it belongs to an angel."

"Was that a flirtation?" Cas asked jokingly.

"Oh shut up," Dean said, rolling his eyes, "You know what I mean."

"Well, our parents were both very religious I suppose. Well, on my mother's side... his father's side."

"Are you cousins?" Dean asked curiously, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets and looking at the ground.

"No... our parents were both in the church together," Cas said as-a-matter-of-factly. Dean looked up curiously at Cas, but then shrugged and continued to watch his feet.

"Well I don't know this 'Balthazar' person... does he have any siblings?" Dean asked, silently calculating, in his head, the chances of knowing one of his siblings.

"He has a sister, yes. Anna." This name struck a reaction in Dean, and he let out a quiet exhale at the mention of the name.

"Oh... of course. Anna. I shoulder have connected those dots," he said, whistling as he shook his head.

"You knew Anna?" Cas said, looking curiously towards Dean.

"Yeah we had a bit of a fling..." he paused, then looked ahead as he pointed out a small building to Cas, "there it is," he said, walking at a slightly faster pace in order to get there.

"I was beginning to feel cold anyway," Cas murmured as he jogged alongside Dean.

* * *

"Two coffees for you gents?" the man behind the counter asked, his back turned to them.

"Yeah, two coffees. I'll have mine black," he looked towards Cas, nudging him slightly, "what'd you like?"

"I'll have a regular, thank you," Cas said softly, giving a slight nod towards Dean. As the man turned around, Cas digested the person standing in front of him. He was lanky, with short brown hair and a kind face. When he saw Dean he gave a large grin and exited from behind the counter, approaching Dean with his arms wide open. Dean gave a odd expression as the man pulled him into a large, tight hug. It was an odd sight considering Dean was much taller than the man, much bigger, and seemed to be nearly choking at the force of the hug.

The man turned towards Cas and gave him a friendly smile as well.

"And you must be his date!" Garth said, putting out a hand. Cas put his out reluctantly, eyeing the man suspiciously. The firm handshake soon turned into a somewhat hug that Cas had no time to prepare for as he awkwardly hugged the man back.

"I'm Garth. Well, I mean, if Dean took you here then he must have mentioned I owned the place," he said with a wink, turning towards Dean. "Glad to see you out an about! You haven't left that apartment for anything but work and Sam's-"

"He's not my date, by the way," Dean interjected, cutting Garth short. Garth looked at Dean in confusion, then back at Cas. He gave a sheepish smile, accompanied with a large laugh.

"Oh I'm sorry! My bad," he said, shaking his head to himself. "Well anyway, I'll go get your coffee's."

Dean laughed, shaking his head.

"Is there something about us that seems gay or something?" Dean asked, more to himself, chuckling as he sat down in a chair at the bar. He motioned for Cas to sit next to him, which he did.

"You did take me out for coffee..." Cas said, confused. Had he misread Dean's intentions? Why had Dean asked him out for coffee again? He couldn't remember now.

"Well yeah but that was because we got off on the wrong foot," Dean said, half laughing and half smirking to himself. After noticing Cas's facial expressions his eyebrows pressed together.

"Wait, why did you think I took you out?"

"I... wasn't quite sure," Cas lied. Dean looked confused, and somewhat perplexed by this shocking turn in events.

Then he smiled.

* * *

It had been four hours since Dean and Cas had gone out for coffee, and Sam had been home for a good ten without many people to talk to. Kevin had stopped in to talk for a few hours, and once their studying was done, Kevin had headed home, and Sam had settled himself to reading, cleaning, and adjusting the house, but eventually he retired to the couch.

It was now eight o'clock and Sam was watching t.v, willing himself not to fall asleep when it was so early and Dean hadn't even gotten home yet. The apartment building was still lively and he was already drifting to sleep. He silently cursed his new medications and then continued the on going challenge of keeping his eyes from drooping.

It was a few minutes before he heard the door unlock and Dean step inside silently, seeing if Sam was still awake or not. It took a couple minutes for Sam to recalibrate himself to realize that Dean was there. He rubbed his eyes, turning towards him from the couch.

"So how was your date?"

Dean shot a menacing look Sam's way.

"Hey listen, I _will_ kick your ass," Dean said. Sam began laughing, holding up his hands in defeat.

"Just joking. So how did it go, anyway?"

Dean sighed, placing his coat on the hook next to the door, "let me tell you, this guy was all sorts of weird. He talked like he was from the eighteenth freakin' century and his name is Castiel... and I'd never seen someone act like such a complete dork."

"So what I'm getting is that it went well?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow and sneering. Dean sighed, shaking his head, then allowing a small smile.

"Yeah."


	5. Friday Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Everyone here confuses me. They're so strange. Nothing like where I came from," Cas said with a frown.
> 
> "Well how great can they be? You left didn't you?" Dean said, shrugging.

 

* * *

 **Jessica Lee Moore|**  Alright guys I know it's been a while but I'm back from college and I'm ready for Friday breakfasts again! You can all head to my place but please not too early... :)

 **Dean Winchester|** Thank god! It's been exhausting making my own breakfasts... and I can finally introduce you to Sam

 **Charlie Bradbury|** For serious? Count me in sistah! ^-^

 **Anna Milton|** I'll bring the drinks, as usual. Orange juice, milk, and other requests?

 **Kevin Tran|** Definitely coffee. I need to stay awake for my test later...

 **Anna Milton|** Well in that case, I'll bring a couple pots.

* * *

"Jesus Dean, it's been an hour and you're still in your pjs..." Sam said as he noticed Dean on the couch- bed hair, pajamas and all- watching some TV show rerun that he'd probably already seen a hundred times. He appeared to be watching Doctor Sexy M.D, which was his favorite show and a "guilty pleasure". Sam was not allowed to make fun of it on the basis that if he did make fun of it Dean would burn his laptop and throw it out the nearest window. Easily enough, Dean didn't watch it as much when Sam was around anyway.

"Oh come on... it's not like I  _have_ to change. It's just breakfast," Dean said absently, his eyes fixed on the television in front of him. On screen was a young woman doctor and, who Dean had identified as Dr. Sexy multiple times, passionately making out in a hospital hallway. Sam was ready to shoot an agitated look Dean's way but he was watching with undivided attention as disgustingly unrealistic dialogue ensued from the two characters. Sam sighed impatiently, grabbing the remote and switching the TV off.

"Hey I was  _watching_ that," Dean said, raising his hands up in a "what gives?" gesture. Sam rolled his eyes and imitated his hand motions mockingly. Dean sighed, then turned back towards the black television screen as if he could still see what was happening.

"It's not like she's expecting me to come in fancy clothes," Dean continued, his eyes lingering on the T.V then drifting to his current apparel.

"Well why wouldn't she? Back when you used to go every Friday you always used to wear nice clothes," Sam replied, completely in awe of Dean's lack of common sense.

"Hey come on man, that was back when I dated Anna," Dean said, thinking back to it with a smile and then crinkling his eyebrows in somewhat disgust. Sam laughed at his change in expression.

"Oh come on, she wasn't that bad," Sam said, limping to Dean's room and grabbing a pair of jeans and a shirt. Once Sam showed Dean his outfit choice Dean looked at him with an expression that read "are you fucking serious" and then, shaking his head, he grabbed it out of Sam's hands.

"Sam, she thought that  _angels_ were talking to her.  _And_ she almost tried to kill you once," Dean responded, using his hands to further illustrate his point.

"Hey wait a second didn't  _you_ just  _almost_ kill someone the other day?" Sam asked with a smirk and the most sassy facial expression he could muster. "And besides, maybe angels  _were_  talking to her. You never know, Dean."

"Yeah well that's dumb because there's no such thing, Sam. But otherwise, angels or not, remind me to never date her again." Dean quickly walked into his room, closing the door as he undressed and dressed in the clothes Sam had handed him. Sam waiting patiently as Dean then went to comb his hair and wash his face before he came out of his room, tidy and well dressed, ready to leave.

"Alright then, hope we aren't late _,"_ Sam said accusingly.

"Oh shut up, it'll be worth it," Dean said with a sigh as he locked the door and checked the lock, "you'll love Jess. She's a total babe."

"Well then why haven't you banged her yet?" Sam asked jokingly. Dean sighed, pretending to look off at something.

"I don't know Sam... she's more  _your_  type..." Dean said with a wink as they got in the elevator and headed to Jess's room.

* * *

"Castiel!"

There was yelling outside Cas's door and he was almost sure that that was never a good sign. Was there a fire? A break in? An injury? Cas did know some simple first aid things that would be of assistance... but why would they be asking him if someone was injured? He had only been there a few days anyway. Hardly anyone knew him besides the odd red-haired girl, the leather jacket-  _Dean. His name is Dean_ \- and that man that owned the bakery a few blocks down.

Cas attempted to identify the voice. It was light, so Cas could only assume that it was a female voice. As the voice rang again he immediately recognized it.

"Cas! Come on..." the door swung open as Cas examined the red-head in front of him and smiled largely.

"Anna. I am pleased to see that you're here. We have not associated in a while," Cas said, giving an awkward hug that Anna embraced gratefully. He had forgotten that Anna lived in the same apartment building. Of course, that was why Balthazar had suggested the building in the first place. Cas knew that Balthazar felt better with his sister in the building to watch over his friend.

"Cas... a mouthful as usual," she said with a soft smile. She sighed, her smile twisting sadly. "I am so sorry about... what happened." Cas froze, his smile fading as well. He shook his head, avoiding her eyes.

"Thank you. I suppose it was bound to happen." He sighed as he stepped into his apartment and motioned for Anna to come in. Anna shook her head, her smile returning.

"No, not today Castiel. I actually came over to invite you to breakfast," Anna took his forearm and attempted to lead him out of the apartment. Cas didn't move at first.

"I have already eaten-"

"It will only be a few minutes..."

"Is it at your apartment?-"

"Yes yes It's at my apartment..." Anna said with a nod. Cas sighed, looking back at his apartment longingly. He sighed, his shoulders drooping as he pulled out his key and locked the door.

"I suppose a few moments would be alright," Cas said slowly, allowing Anna to drag him to the elevator, which was right next to Dean's apartment. Anna pulled him in quickly, a somewhat mischievous look on her face. Cas began to feel slightly sick.

"Anna... are you alright?"

"Yes, definitely," Anna said, looking over reassuringly. Cas did not feel reassured. Cas watched as the elevator ticked from floor to floor, until the floor Anna's apartment was on dinged.

Then they went up another floor.

"Anna we've passed your floor-"

"I moved floors," Anna said quickly. Cas could tell she was lying, as he attempted to press the third floor button only to have his hand swatted away. Once the doors opened she pulled him out, her smaller body surprisingly strong as he jerked forward to an apartment right across from the elevator.

"Anna, is this your apartment?" Cas asked cautiously, but she didn't respond. She looked at him, soundlessly, as she opened the door and pointed inside as Castiel felt dread fill him from the bottom up.

_People._

"Anna..." Cas began, but she placed a finger to her lips.

"Just go with it, Cas," Anna said, giving a very unsympathetic smile and turning back towards the people filling the room. To Cas's horror, there were at least ten to twelve people in the room.

"Anna!" a cheery voice boomed as a blonde figure came towards Anna and gave her a large hug.

"Jess! Hey, I brought my friend!" she said, motioning proudly to Cas. Jess widened her eyes and grinned at Cas.

"Hey! You're Castiel, right? Awesome name by the way," she said as she turned back towards the table and grabbed a cup of orange juice.

"Uh, yes I-"

"Cas?" a voice said from behind him. Cas turned to see Dean Winchester with a slightly surprised look on his face. Cas wanted to bury his face in his hands. This was the perfect disaster. He just wanted to go home and watch T.V or read a book.

"Oh you've met the newcomer have you?" Jess said cheekily, burying her face underneath her glass as she took a long swig of it. Dean blushed, for reasons unknown to Cas, and shook his head.

"Met him? They went out for a freaking coffee together," a voice said behind Dean. Cas looked behind him to see a very tall, slightly long haired man behind him. Cas squinted in confusion.  _How did this man know about them getting coffee?_

"Coffee? Seriously?" Jess said, laughing. Her smile grew wide under her cup and she crinkled her eyes shut as she laughed silently.

"Oh shut up," Dean said, rolling his eyes at their immaturity. "Anyway, more important matters. Sam,  _this_ is Jess," he said, motioning towards Jess. Sam smiled politely, and Jess rushed to place her cup down so she could properly make eye contact. And that was when Sam's smile faded into a look that Cas could not quite identify. His eyes widened, his lips parted, as his eyes landed on Jess completely. He placed his hand out instinctively, his eyes tracing her face as she blushed madly.

"Sam," he said, then shook his head, "I mean, obviously. Dean just introduced me." He shook his head, slightly embarrassed. Jess put a hand out as well, trying to conceal a blush as her eyes stayed on the wall behind him then met his eyes.

"Sam! Dean has told me so much about you. I'd almost assume he was your biggest fan and not your brother," she said, laughing lightly. Sam nodded, reminding himself to have it out with Dean later for setting him up without his permission. Although maybe this time... he could forgive him.

"Oh! And Cas, this is Sam... my brother," Dean interrupted suddenly, directing Cas's attention to Sam now. Cas nodded, understanding now why Sam would have known about Cas and Dean getting coffee.

There was a feeling to the situation that was oddly comforting. Sam and Jess shared a comfortable look, and Dean smiled as Cas out of the corner of his eye. Cas turned towards him shyly, looking at the ground instead of meeting his eyes. He wanted to say something, but he didn't end up saying anything at all. Before either of them could speak a loud voice came across the room.

"Guys! Bacon is ready! Come and get some before I eat it all," Charlie said from behind them. All four of them turned and headed towards Charlie to grab a piece.

As they walked, Cas noticed something about Sam; he was limping. He walked in a way that did not seem to match with his body, and Dean seemed to linger a step ahead just in case Sam were to fall or trip. It was almost like a young child helping his brother learn to walk, but different. It didn't seem to fit them.

Cas reached the counter and picked out the fattest bacon, chewing it as he observed the many people around the room. He could feel Charlie's eyes on him and the tips of his ears turned red.

"This is excellent bacon," he said softly. He heard Charlie laugh in front of him. It was a comfortable laugh, albeit rather obnoxious but somehow... kind and light hearted.

"Hey Castiel," Charlie said, pausing as she thought over her words, "I'm probably going to just call you Cas," she said eventually.

"Everyone else seems to call me that," Cas said with a shrug as he took another bite out of his bacon.

"So how did your date with McDreamy go?" Charlie asked. Cas looked shocked, looking at Charlie only to see her laughing again.

"I'm joking Cas, just joking. But of course... question still stands." Cas thought over it, looking off, then nodding to himself.

"Fairly well. I believe we have become friends," Cas said. Charlie nodded thoughtfully, taking her second piece of bacon and taking a large bite out of it.

"Friends," Charlie said, laughing softly as she winked. Cas looked nearly offended but Charlie didn't look ready to apologize as she turned towards a brunette to her left.

"Can you get me an ice-cube, chuckles?" The woman speaking seemed to be slightly short with curly brown hair and a sneer that seemed to blend into her entire personality.

"Don't call me that Meg," Charlie said, blowing air through her mouth as she reached in the fridge and grabbed a piece of ice. With her back turned, Meg picked up Charlie's abandoned half eaten bacon and took a bite out of it, looking at Cas and winking as she placed it back where it rested. Once Charlie had turned back around and handed her an ice-cube, she looked at her bacon and groaned.

" _Meg_ ," Charlie said, dragging out the vowel in her name. She groaned as she threw her bacon away and grabbed another one from across the counter. Meg laughed, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

"You're such a germaphobe, chuckles." Meg sighed, turning towards Cas and raising her eyebrow again. Cas could see Charlie fuming from the side.

"Who's this charmer?" she asked. Cas couldn't quite describe the slyness to her voice, or how she talked in a way he had never heard before. Her speech was lilted and unique.

"That's Castiel," Charlie said, biting her bacon somewhat violently. "He's new here... so don't scare him off or anything."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she said, her eyes scanning Cas as though he were a book she couldn't wait to get her hands on. "Castiel's a strange name. Isn't that the name of an angel?"

Cas sighed, biting his lip. "Yes. My parents were very religious."

"So were mine, Clarence. Looks like we have something in common," she grinned slyly. Cas turned his head, observing her. She did not strike him as religious.

"Don't be fooled Cas. I'm pretty sure the only type of religion her parents practiced was Satanism," Charlie said bitterly as she shook her head and stepped away from behind the counter. Meg looked after her with her ever present smirk, turning back towards Cas after a second.

"It is true," Meg said, shrugging as if it were a common thing to hear. "So, what brings you here, Clarence?"

"My name is not Clarence. It's Castiel," Cas said, confused. Meg chuckled.

"Would it kill you to watch a movie?" she asked. Before Cas could answer Dean appeared again, a smile on his face.

"So I see you've met Meg," he said, shooting a grimace towards Meg. He turned towards Cas again with a sympathetic shrug. "Sorry about that."

"Oh come on Deano, I'm not that much of a displeasure," she said, tracing Cas's jacket softly as she walked away, "see you later Clarence." Cas looked towards Dean with concern.

"Don't worry about it," Dean said dismissively, waving his hand as though that would erase the thought from Cas's mind.

"She confuses me," Cas said. Dean chuckled, looking at Cas with a kind expression.

"I wouldn't worry about it. She confuses everyone."

"Everyone here confuses me. They're so strange. Nothing like where I came from," Cas said with a frown.

"Well how great can they be? You left didn't you?" Dean said, shrugging.

It was true; what Dean said. He might have stayed around if they were half as appealing as the people here. Or half as kind. Or considerate. Perhaps Cas would have left anyway even if things hadn't gone the direction they did.

"So what you're saying is you do like it here?" Dean said after a moment. Cas sighed, thinking about it for a while.

"Yes. I... think I'm going to like it here."

There was a pause in the conversation as both Cas and Dean sat in silence as the people around them chatted, both considering something. Eventually, Dean turned back towards Cas.

"You know... you haven't even seen the rest of the town yet."

"I've seen enough, haven't I?" Cas asked, observing Dean carefully.

"No way. There's a fuck ton of things I could show you..." he paused, considering something again, "maybe I should take you out on the town sometime."

Cas thought on this, looking at Dean with concern. He was very confused as to Dean's intentions... it was as if he was speaking in English but his brain was translating it into French. Something about the way Dean smiled, or the twinkle in his eye, enticed Cas to say yes again without thinking. Say yes without weighing the outcome, the possibilities, the-  _he's expecting an answer and you haven't responded yet, damnit Cas-_ he thought to himself. He cleared his throat, looking at Dean as he computed his reply.

"Where exactly would you take me? How can I trust you?" Cas asked jokingly, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Maybe I could show you the nearest jail or cemetery. Or maybe even take you to an abandoned playground. I don't know, maybe we'll even find time for the toxic waste dump around the corner," Dean said with a wink, his eyes scanning Cas to interpret his response.

"I don't think that sounds like it would be enjoyable," Cas said with a frown. Dean sighed, patting his back with a sympathetic smile.

"It was sarcasm Cas," Dean said with a sigh. He shook his head, laughing silently. "So is that a no?"

"No," Cas said, trying not to burst out with the words and instead say it casually, like a regular person. Dean's eyes crinkled at this.

"So it's a yes?"

"Definitely." He thought over this and frowned to himself. "I mean uh- probably. I do enjoy our talks... and time together." Dean crinkled his eyebrows at this comment, a chuckle following.

"Well then be prepared, because the next time you're home and I'm in the mood to show you around, you better be ready."

"I'll be ready," Cas said with a nod. Dean put out his hand, as if to officiate the agreement, and then waited as Cas raised a hesitant hand to shake Dean's.

"Any time between 12:00 am and 1:00 am works for me," Cas said, smiling to show that he was teasing. Dean nodded, winking at his comment.

"Well alright, I'll keep that in mind."

And with that, Friday breakfast most definitely became a "thing" again. Not just for old-timers, but new-comers as well.


End file.
